Shielded system with a housing having a high atomic number metal coating applied by thermal spray technique

Abstract

A radiation-shielded system and method of producing a radiation-shielded system having at least one component susceptible to disruption upon exposure to ionizing radiation, wherein the susceptible component is protected by a rigid housing having a metallic layer of high atomic number that is deposited on the surface of the housing using a thermal spray technique.

1. A radiation shielded system comprising
 at least one component susceptible to disruption upon exposure to ionizing radiation; 
 a rigid housing which substantially surrounds the at least one susceptible component; and, 
 a thermally-sprayed metallic layer deposited on at least a portion of the rigid housing, the metal layer having an actual density of 97% to 100% of the theoretical density of the metal. 
 
   
   
     2. The shielded system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one component susceptible to disruption is selected from, the group consisting of electronic components, living organisms, micro-mechanical devices, piezo-electronic components, magnetic memory systems, optical memory systems, electronic memory systems, organic memory systems, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     3. The shielded system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one component susceptible to disruption is an electronic component. 
   
   
     4. The shielded system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one electronic component is designed to perform at least one computational function and wherein the electronic component is susceptible to interruption of the at least one computational function upon exposure to external ionizing radiation. 
   
   
     5. The shielded system of  claim 1 , wherein the metal tic layer is comprised of a high atomic number metal selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tungsten, lead, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     6. The shielded system of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid housing is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, beryllium, beryllium alloy, plastics, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     7. The shielded system of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic layer is deposited using a thermal spray technique selected from the group consisting of High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray and Plasma Arc Spray (PAS). 
   
   
     8. The shielded system of  claim 1 , further comprising a source of radiation external to the susceptible component, whereby the radiation is attenuated by the rigid housing and deposited metal layer prior to encountering the susceptible component. 
   
   
     9. The shielded system of  claim 1 , wherein the shielded system is incorporated into the electronic systems of a vehicle. 
   
   
     10. The shielded system of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of aircraft, spacecraft, land vehicles, aquatic vessels, and missiles. 
   
   
     11. The shielded system of  claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises a unitary metallic coating on the surface of the housing. 
   
   
     12. A shielded electronic system comprising
 at least one electronic component; and, 
 a radiation shield which substantially surrounds the electronic component wherein the radiation shield comprises
 a rigid housing; and, 
 a metallic layer deposited on the surface of the rigid housing having a different composition than the housing, the metallic layer having an actual density of 97% to 100% of the theoretical density of the metal. 
 
 
   
   
     13. The shielded system of  claim 12 , wherein the metallic layer is comprised of a metal selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tungsten, lead, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     14. The shielded system of  claim 12 , wherein the rigid housing is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, beryllium, beryllium alloy, plastics, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     15. The shielded system of  claim 12 , further comprising a source of radiation external to the electronic component, whereby the radiation is attenuated by the rigid housing and deposited metal layer prior to encountering the electronic component. 
   
   
     16. The shielded system of  claim 12 , wherein the shielded system is incorporated into the electronic systems of a vehicle. 
   
   
     17. The shielded system of  claim 12 , wherein the metallic layer is comprised of a high atomic number metal selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tungsten, lead, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     18. The shielded system of  claim 12 , wherein the metallic layer is deposited using a thermal spray technique selected from the group consisting of High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray and Plasma Arc Spray (PAS). 
   
   
     19. A radiation shielded system comprising
 at least one component susceptible to disruption upon exposure to ionizing radiation; 
 a rigid housing which substantially surrounds the at least one susceptible component; and, 
 a thermally-sprayed metallic layer deposited on at least a portion of the rigid housing using a thermal spray technique selected from the group consisting of High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray and Plasma Arc Spray (PAS), the metal layer having an actual density of 97% to 100% of the theoretical density of the metal. 
 
   
   
     20. The shielded system of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one component susceptible to disruption is selected the group consisting of electronic components, living organisms, micro-mechanical devices, piezo-electronic components, magnetic memory systems, optical memory systems, electronic memory systems, organic memory systems, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     21. The shielded system of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one component susceptible to disruption is an electronic component. 
   
   
     22. The shielded system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one electronic component is designed to perform at least one computational function and wherein the electronic component is susceptible to interruption of the at least one computational function upon exposure to external ionizing radiation. 
   
   
     23. The shielded system of  claim 19 , wherein the metallic layer is comprised of a high atomic number metal selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tungsten, lead, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     24. The shielded system of  claim 19 , wherein the rigid housing is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, beryllium, beryllium alloy, plastics, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     25. The shielded system of  claim 19 , further comprising a source of radiation external to the susceptible component, whereby the radiation is attenuated by the rigid housing and deposited metal layer prior to encountering the susceptible component. 
   
   
     26. The shielded system of  claim 19 , wherein the shielded system is incorporated into the electronic systems of a vehicle. 
   
   
     27. The shielded system of  claim 26 , wherein the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of aircraft, spacecraft, land vehicles, aquatic vessels, and missiles.